Locking down the move to cloud

Geoff Hornsby, general manager, EMEA at iManage, discusses the importance of cloud – from Zero Trust security to improving client experience with a cloud-based DMS.

The ubiquitous need to facilitate remote work in 2020 led to a surge in the use of cloud applications as law firms and legal departments found it invaluable to ensure business continuity in the early days of the pandemic.

Cloud technology truly came of age as the must-have platform this year as it not only enabled access to documents from any location, but also facilitated new ways of collaborating and sharing knowledge for professionals who are now no longer all working under the same roof.

But as we prepare for several more months of lockdown, there’s still a lot of benefits organisations can achieve with a cloud platform in the long term. As our CEO Neil Araujo referenced in a previous post, firms that continue to be nimble and execute digital strategies quickly will have a distinct competitive advantage throughout the pandemic, and we have seen this first-hand with our customers.

Increased security

Before the onset of Covid-19, our clients told us that the number one barrier to cloud migrations was security concerns. What companies are now finding due to the necessity of remote work is that some cloud platforms not only provide the security they require but largely deliver even more.

For example, industry-leading Zero Trust security on a cloud platform always assumes external and internal threats exist in the network at all times. It may sound paranoid, but it’s especially important in a remote work environment. When looking at a cloud migration, every firm should ask their vendor what their policy is around Zero Trust.

Improved user experience

Cloud technology, like a cloud document management system (DMS), also eases the process of managing workloads when staff members fall ill or are on holiday – as documents are accessible in a single location aiding in business continuity during these challenging times.

It also includes features that enhance the ability to access workspaces, documents, and files from a familiar interface, increasing users’ ability to be more productive in a remote setting. Seamless integration with other applications also helps increase adoption, as well as simplifies onboarding new users.

Facilitating management needs

Finally, cloud aids managers in their efforts to find new ways to replicate processes they used to have in the office.

We’ve seen clients that have embraced the capabilities of a cloud DMS are benefitting from an aerial viewpoint of their staff and department or firm matters. Using dashboards, they can get the quick overview they need to ensure the smooth running of the business whether in or out of the office.

At iManage, we too have been part of that movement, using cloud systems to help increase productivity, collaboration and ensure business continuity for our clients, no matter where our staff are working.

In the current climate, it is little wonder why the attitude for many firms has shifted from not if they will move to the cloud, but when.